Category Archives: Nasrin Sotoudeh

December 24th, 2012 [Kaleme] – Despite efforts by Nasrin Sotoudeh’s family members to hold a public funeral service for Nasrin’s late mother at one of the mosques in Tehran, judicial and security authorities prevented such public services from taking place and Sotoudeh was instead allowed to attend a private funeral ceremony alongside her family and friends at her late mother’s residence.

According to reports by Kaleme incarcerated human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh is currently mourning the passing of her late mother alongside family and friends at a private ceremony taking place at her late mother’s home.

The public funeral service was to have been held at Tehran’s Noor Mosque, however, the individuals responsible for the mosque contacted the family claiming that security authorities had informed them that the funeral service may be politicized and will therefore be prevented from taking place. Following the cancellation of the service at Tehran’s Noor Mosque, preparations were made for holding the services at Hazrat-e-Rasoul Mosque, but this attempt was also circumvented by security authorities.

The family was therefore left with no other alternative but to hold a private Koran recital ceremony at the residence of Sotoudeh’s late mother and Sotoudeh is currently attending this service accompanied by a number of security agents.

When Nasrin was first arrested, her father was in the ICU and in terrible condition. I asked her interrogator at the time to allow Nasrin to come and spend the last few moments of her father’s life with him, but they never allowed it. Her father passed away and they continued to denied her the right to participate in his funeral and burial ceremony. Her father passed away and Nasrin had to live with the fact that she had not been able to say goodbye to him for the rest of her life. Shame on those who continue to be a perplexing phenomenon when it comes to upholding the most fundamental of human needs!

We have been writing the prosecutor letters for over a year, requesting that Nasrin be allowed to see her mother, if only for a few brief moments – a mother who has been banned from seeing her daughter… Alas to no avail…

Last night Nasrin’s mother was transferred to a hospital in dire condition. She is currently in the intensive care unit.

From the Facebook of Reza Khandan, the husband of incarcerated human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh

Today we were granted face to face visitation with Nasrin. Despite the fact that she is no longer on hunger strike, physically there was little change in her from last week.

Up to this moment, Nasrin has received no medical attention, even for her digestive problems that were predictable [as a result of her hunger strike.]

Furthermore, the authorities have yet to respond to our request for medical furlough.

By the way as soon as the topic of her last statement presented at the Sakharov Award Ceremony came up, Nasrin explained that she had written that statement three days after her hunger strike under very difficult physical conditions and as a result she had forgotten to include a number of issues. Nasrin was in particular very upset that she had neglected to mention the conditions surrounding the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard and Mehdi Karroubi. Nasrin asked me to make sure that her apology is relayed to these dear colleagues. She stated that after the statement had been published she realized that she had failed to mention this important issue and other items, but the statement had already been published and she had no means to contact anyone [from prison] in order to request that additions be made. She was very upset regarding this matter.

From the Facebook of Reza Khandan the husband of incarcerated human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, on hunger strike at Evin prison since October 17th, 2012.

I don’t mean to cause concern or fear amongst our friends and supporters, however a sense of alarm has left me with no other recourse but to warn everyone….

As Nasrin entered the 41st day of her hunger strike yesterday, we were informed that her physical condition had gravely deteriorated and was now alarming. She was transferred to the infirmary at Evin prison and it has been reported that from now on, she will be taken to the infirmary every day. Her blood pressure has collapsed to such a degree that the individual taking the measurement was unable to tell her what the measurement was.

The judicial authorities can deny everything, but the truth always prevails; the truth eventually crashes upon those who claim ignorance. No amount of justification, fabrications, projection onto others and denying the facts will solve the existing problem.

My wife is merely asking: “Why are you punishing our 12 year old daughter because of her mother?”

To date no one from within this bureaucracy laden judiciary has responded to this legal yet rudimentary question.

Reza Khandan , the husband of incarcerated human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh now on the 34th day of her hunger strike, writes the following on his facebook page today:

I was just informed that following 19 days of solitary confinement, Nasrin was transferred back to Evin prison’s general female ward [where she was previously being kept] and is now with the rest of the female political prisoners.

This is the only news we have received. We unfortunately have no news of her physical condition and well being and must await more detailed reports from inside Evin.

From the Facebook of Reza Khandan husband of Incarcerated Human Rights Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh in solitary confinement and on the 27th day of a hunger strike at the Intelligence Ministry’s Ward 209.

When Nima came out of the prison gates today, the first thing he did was to swipe off his mothers kiss from his cheeks and say: “Mommy said to save this kiss and to give it to you when I came out!”

Last night after what happened yesterday [the 3 1/2 hour wait outside of the gates of Evin without seeing Nasrin], they contacted us from the prison and told us to take the children to Evin so they could visit with Nasrin. The children were allowed to see their mother for a few minutes at a location other than the usual visitation area in the presence of security officers. The children spoke to their mother about their affairs, about school, homework and their other activities.

Unfortunately none of us were allowed to accompany the children to visit with Nasrin. We were not even allowed to accompany them inside the prison to make sure that they had successfully passed the guards at the entrance.

Sunday November 11th, 2012 – From the Facebook of Reza Khandan the husband of incarcerated human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh now on the 27th day of her hunger strike in solitary confinement at Evin prison.

Many friends and supporters have sent me messages asking about Nasriin’s condition and whether we have any news or if we have spoken to her by phone.

We have no news from Nasrin as of last Monday. Given that the infirmary at ward 209 [under the supervision of the Ministry of Intelligence] is separate from the infirmary at Evin prison, even if she would be transferred to the infirmary, no one would be informed.

Nasrin has been deprived of phone calls for the past 18 months. She is currently in solitary confinement and without a cell mate. The fact that she is in solitary confinement and has been deprived of weekly visitations, means that no one will be able to speak to her even to encourage her to discontinue her hunger strike. Given her current situation, the messages from various individuals and groups requesting that she break her hunger strike will therefore not reach her.

The only news we have heard, is that a few days ago they took her prescription glasses, one book and a hot water bottle from the general ward [350] , but we are not sure if they were given to her. We received this news via the general ward where Nasrin was being kept until 12 days ago, for no news is ever received from the Intelligence Ministry’s ward 209.

Nasrin’s presence at the Intelligence Ministry’s ward 209 is completely illegal. Detainees are taken to this ward during their interrogation process and not once their sentences have been issued. In addition to punishing her with solitary confinement, they have also deprived her of her legal right to visitation.

At the Intelligence Ministry’s Ward 209, prisoners are required to wear a blindfold even when using the restrooms.

The prison authorities are responsible for explaining why someone who was serving her prison sentence is now spending her days behind bars in solitary confinement at the Intelligence Ministry’s ward 209.